"Hey. Mara, we're here." Someone patted her gently on the head. "Let me out, I gotta pee."
"I could'a died happy not knowin' that," grumbled Creed from somewhere outside the truck.
"Urgh," said Mara, blinking and sitting up straight, then absently unbuckling herself as she stretched and looked around to find herself outside of Hell. Turning to Stitch she quirked a grin. "Just a minute, kid, I've got breathing exercises after I wake up. Can't move before they're done."
"I'm gonna pee in the truck!" threatened Stitch.
"Good grief." Creed stuck his head and shoulders in through the other door and pulled the teen out by the back of her jacket. "Quit bein' so blond."
"Look who's talkin', Sabie." Stitch clenched a fist at him, then looked at it bemusedly and ran toward the door of the club.
"Kid had to pee," Mara commented dryly, looking around as she stepped out of the truck and shut the door, seeing Jubal standing next to Creed and holding Goldie to his chest. He was looking indifferent to the world, but cuddled in his grasp Goldie babbled soulfully, big eyes wide with the passion of her story.
Mara arched a brow at her, then looked around again. "You were right, this place is dry in daylight."
"Most people got a livin' t' make." Creed scratched one sideburn and looked down at his daughter. "Y' okay with 'er?"
Jubal snorted and handed the baby over, then jerked his head at Mara with a slight smirk and headed toward the door, pausing so that she could walk beside him.
The aqua punk's mouth twitched at the familiar gesture as she caught up with him and strolled into the club, Creed and Goldie close behind them. She blinked to clear her eyes as she came into the big, cool room, seeing no one but two little boys wrestling like kittens on the stage and a tiny girl with white hair and a white dress laying on the bar and staring fixedly into the rafters.
"Wow. It's bigger than it looks when it's crowded," she said, looking around and avoiding the sight of the little girl, glancing instead toward the low murmur of people hidden in the booths. Then she blinked as an aggravated-sounding chiming tinkled at the back of her mind, followed by the appearance of a tiny blond woman in a sparkling purple fairy gown who looked up at Creed and Jubal with reproach in her big green eyes.
"Sorry, Tink," said Jubal. "Table fer four 'n a baby."
The little blond nodded, the chiming in Mara's mind taking on a happier note as she turned and led the way to a rounded booth midway between the pit and the bar.
"There's somethin' on the ceilin'," said Creed, looking up as Jubal slid over and let Mara have the outside place.
Tink glanced up and nodded, then frowned up at the big mutant and thinned her lips.
"S'just Slime," said Jubal. "Yer #$+&in' Tink off, shieldin' 'er out. She can't talk t' ya."
Creed blinked and looked down at the tiny waitress in surprise, then quirked one eyebrow.
Tink smiled winsomely, then looked at Jubal.
"Bull," he said indifferently.
The chiming sounded once more in Mara's mind, followed by the image of an empty glass and a question mark.
"I'll have a Bull and a glass of water," she said, taking one of the handwritten menus and glancing at it, eyebrows raising at the promise of any food she wanted during the day.
"Sure y' wanna Bull, darlin'?" Jubal frowned at her and rested one arm on the table.
"Watered down," said Mara, nodding, then frowning as one hand drew closer to her stomach. "Unless it would hurt it?"
"Bets said it ain't good," he said gruffly. "She gave up coffee fer hers."
"Yeah, 'n it made 'er try t' kill me," growled Creed, setting Goldie on the table and carefully taking her fuzzy pink coat off.
"Dittyda?" she asked, looking up at him seriously.
"Yeah, sweetheart. Let's git this offa ya." He smiled, his craggy face suddenly tender.
"Just water," Mara said to Tink, rubbing the back of her neck with a grimace and making a mental note to find a way of learning more about pregnancy when she got back to the mansion. "How is Betsy anyway? She didn't sound so good last time I heard her."
"She'n the twins're alright," said Creed gruffly, setting Goldie down on the floor. "But she's feelin' pretty low."
Jubal snorted as he watched Tink fly away.
"Y' quit bein' such a hard#$+&," growled Creed.
"Or what? Y' gonna pray at me?" Jubal sneered, then stared up into the rafters.
Creed sighed and rubbed his face, looking tired and pained, then glanced down to make sure Goldie was safe.
"Jubes," Mara muttered, looking at him.
He looked back at her with a frown, then softened and put an arm around her waist, kissing her on the forehead.
She held back a soft gasp, then chewed the inside of her lip and guardedly lay her head on his shoulder, frowning slightly even as her stomach fluttered with a pleased and disbelieving feeling that he had shown her, of all people, such a measure of affection.
He sighed and rubbed her back, then looked around as Tink returned and started setting their drinks on the table, including a tall glass of pink juice that she pushed over in front of Mara.
The aqua-haired girl lifted her head and blinked at the tiny waitress, then picked up the drink and took a small sip, finding the drink to be lightly sweetened grapefruit juice.
"Oh, thanks," she said, putting it down. "Er, where are the bathrooms?"
Tink pointed and chimed in the back of her mind, then smiled and darted away.
Mara blinked as she realized that the small woman had made the drink delivery while floating a couple foot off the floor, then looked over at Jubal, feeling reluctant to leave his grip. "Excuse me a minute, punk boy."
He nodded and set her free, giving her a glance as though to make sure she was alright as she slid out of the booth.
She sighed and walked towards the bathroom, passing Stitch on the way and getting a grin from her young sister-in-law-to-be. She paused to watch the young teen hurry over to the booth and crawl under the table to get to the inside place. Wondering at the girl's cheerfulness, she continued on to the bathroom and quickly finished her business.
She frowned at her reflection as she washed her hands, the memory of Creed's sobs as he'd lain there in the sitting room coming back to her mind. Before she knew what was happening she sniffed, then squeezed her eyes shut and gasped for breath as tears started trickling down her cheeks, the big man's sorrow calling to mind her own losses.
"#&+$!" she gulped, then burst into sobs, clutching the edge of the black counter to keep from crumpling.
"Hey, what's up?" asked a throaty voice as a hand rubbed her back soothingly.
Mara gasped aloud, slipping as she jerked away and spun to see a red-haired woman with hazel cat's eyes watching her with calm compassion.
"Gonna get yourself puking if ya keep that up," said the stranger softly, pushing aside her leather jacket to rub her rounded belly, which was covered by a black mini dress.
Mara stared at the belly, then looked up at the woman's face, wondering at the feeling that she could trust her.
"What do you know about it?" She sniffed, looking down sharply as she scrubbed her eyes. "I'm not getting fat already, am I?"
The woman tapped the side of her nose, eyes dancing slightly, then growled and rubbed her belly again. "I'm Fox."
"Another sniffer," said Mara huffily, still trying to get rid of the tears as she turned away, then staring at the woman in the mirror and thinking that she looked too pretty to be a Morlock. "What tribe you from?"
Fox snorted. "Sealy's Army. Come on 'n sit over here for a minute." She gestured with her head toward a pair of chairs that sat at the back of the room.
"Sealy's..." Mara blinked, remembering the Army's good rep back in her old bars. Paired with the comforting feelings emitting from this woman, she decided to sit.
Fox growled again and smacked the side of her stomach, then looked up with a grin. "Sorry, little brat's demanding her ol' man." She sobered. "What's buggin' ya?"
Mara shook her head. "I don't know. I don't freak out like that usually... Some guy was upset t'day and I got set off just thinking about it."
"He cussin'?" Fox frowned slightly.
"Crying," said Mara softly, staring fixedly at the floor. "He lost a lot of people he loved, I guess."
Fox made a soft sound of sympathy. "He part'a your tribe?"
"I'm sorta gonna enter his," said Mara, her voice hushed. "Some reality changer decided it would be great to make me five months pregnant with a guy's kid. I had only met him that night...n' now he's gonna marry me because of it. He's in the same tribe as the guy who was crying."
"Do you love him?" asked Fox, giving her belly another absent swat.
Mara's eyes widened as she saw something give the black dress a sharp rap from underneath. "I...yeah. I do," she said softly, still looking at the belly. "I do..."
"But you're scared spitless of the whole deal," said Fox.
"Yeah," Mara said softly, her breathing quickening again slightly as another tear leaked out. "Yeah... I didn't used to care, n' I cried my tears a long time ago, but now...everything's so weird. There's this whole...family, and I don't know any of them, but now I'm marrying a guy I hardly know...I'm not even twenty yet! I never wanted a baby, but now I want to make him happy, so I'm gonna do it, and I don't know a rat's #$+& about babies or being pregnant or anything! I can hardly even look at kids, how am I supposed to be a mother?"
"What about kids creeps you out?" Fox shifted in her chair and growled under her breath, then gasped softly and arched her back, not taking her eyes from the water girl's face.
Mara closed her eyes tightly to avoid that sympathetic gaze and shook her head, then let out a low moan.
"I killed two lil' girls," she whispered, more tears leaking out as she shook her head again, feeling the weight of her secret now more than ever before. Her voice was raspy as she started to cry again. "I set off a gun by mistake, n' it started a fire n' blew up the car they were in. I tried t' save 'em, they were only babies, but I couldn't get them out n' they burned t' death... They were only babies!"
"'N every time ya look at another kid ya see them," said Fox, reaching out and putting an arm around her. "Look, it was an accident. You tried t' save 'em. Beatin' yourself up about it's just #$+&."
"You never saw them!" Mara gasped hoarsely, leaning into the embrace. "I was gonna hurt them anyway! I was after their father...he'd killed my family...but when I got my chance to get him they were there too. I saw them, I could've left them all alone, waited longer to get him or something, but I didn't! It was my fault."
"Never said it wasn't," said Fox, stroking her hair. "You did it, 'n nothin's ever gonna undo that. But beatin' yerself up over it is #$+&. Would ya do it again? Did ya think it was fun?"
Mara shook her head, choking on her tears.
Fox took a deep breath. "I remember one winter we were short on eats. The other gangs were really crackin' down on us, 'n most the Army was sick with some kinda flu. I wasn't, but I was knocked up so big I could hardly walk. I knew there were thugs waitin' just outside t' jump anybody that came out, but it got so bad inside that I sent this little kid called Wrapper Snapper out t' try 'n panhandle somethin' fer us." She inhaled again, then let out a faint squeak. "He never came back. I see him every time I lookit another kid that size, but I know I didn't do it because I wanted him t' die. 'N I know God doesn't hold it against me. So I let it go. I cry when I remember, 'n I'd die before I ever sent another little kid out like that, but I don't beat myself up over it. I was just a dumb kid when it happened, 'n I know better now."
Mara's desperate sobs gave way to silent tears as she listened, soothed by the woman's story and maternal comfort. She bit her lip and squeezed her eyes shut after the story was finished, then opened them again, feeling disoriented and jarred as she stared once more at the floor.
"You didn't see 'em," she repeated. "I don't know anything about how to take care of a baby, I can't even make myself want it! I was fine when it was dolphins, but what if I make another mistake? What if I hurt this one too?"
"I seen Snapper." Fox's voice was rough. "They couldn't have his coffin open at the funeral." She shuddered slightly, then sighed. "You love your guy, right?"
"Yeah," said Mara, both confused and trembling as she admitted the fact again. "I...I do."
"All of him?" asked Fox softly, her hand going still on the girl's blue hair.
"I...I guess so." Mara looked up at her questioningly.
"Yes or no?" Fox asked sternly.
"Yes," whispered Mara, looking down.
"Well that baby is part of him," said Fox, her rich voice soft and tender.
"I didn't mean to," said Mara, another tear leaking out. "Didn't mean to love anything! It's not me, I don't like anybody!"
"Bull $&#," said Fox calmly, giving her a little shake. "Ever' body loves. Even freakin' Doc Ock's got a girlfriend he turns into a suck around."
Mara looked at her, remembering Creed's tears and what she'd said to Jubal about being good. She remembered what she'd heard others saying, about love healing broken hearts. She had a broken heart, even though she tried to deny it, and now it seemed like love and goodness had made the full circle back to her, offering the warmth and security of a new home and a new family. "I didn't love people," she said to herself, then looked up. "Do...do I have to change for it?"
"Mara?" The bathroom door flew open, and Stitch burst through, her eyes wide with concern. "You still here?"
Fox started, then gasped and put both hands to her belly as she stared at the girl in shock. "What happened to you?"
Mara jerked away from her, quickly wiping her eyes as she turned away. "That's Stitch. Logan's daughter..." She bit her lip and tried to calm down, wiping her face on her borrowed T-shirt. "Yeah, I'm ok, Stitch. I'll be out in a minute."
"That ain't Logan's daughter," said Fox, her eyes still wide in amazement. "That's Logan."
"No, she ain't," growled Mara. "Stitch, if Jubal's worryin' could ya tell 'im I'm ok? Just got some cramps."
The younger girl looked back and forth between the two in the chairs, then shook her head. "I'm a clone. 'N Jubes' sick..." With that she spun and fled, the door banging against the wall with the force of her passing.
Mara gasped, then looked at Fox pleadingly before she leapt to her feet and ran out as well. She could see Creed leaning over the table as she neared it, his hand on Jubal's shoulder as the teen's dark head lay on the table. Both guys looked up as she slid to a stop beside them, breathing heavily from exertion and worry.
"Jubal? What happened? What's wrong?" she said fearfully, looking at him and wincing at his pallor, barely aware of Fox slowly following her.
"Nothin," he scowled at Stitch, who was leaning over the back of the booth behind Creed. "I'm fine."
"What happened?" Mara looked at Creed.
"'E got worried 'bout ya, then 'e turned green 'n put 'is head down." The big blond man frowned at the boy in question with concern.
"I'm fine!" growled Jubal, then gulped and turned sickly pale again. "Here comes our grub."
"Don't look at it," Mara said quickly, putting her hand on his shoulder and looking at Creed again. "Can you ask them to put it on that other table till he's feeling better?"
"Mara, ya gotta eat," said Jubal, blinking and resting his forehead on his fist. "We gotcha raw salmon... Oh $#$&!"
Mara stepped back as he pushed past her and headed for the bathrooms, then stared after him as Creed went too, his warning glance telling her not to follow. "I need to..." She stopped and looked at Stitch as a thought suddenly occurred to her. "He can't block feelings, can he?"
"His shields're pretty good," said the younger girl, also looking after them in concern. "Chuck can get past 'em, but I don't think just random feelin's could."
"No. I mean, like, he can't actually block other people's feelings if he wants to, to keep them from feeling hurt, or sick?" said Mara impatiently.
Stitch turned and frowned at her. "I dunno. He's not that strong, 'n he don't use it very much."
"Hey, Blue," came Fox's tense voice. "Mind if I sit? The kid's got her foot in my hip..."
Mara straightened to see her new friend standing with gritted teeth and narrowed eyes, both hands rubbing her swollen belly.
"I'm sorry!" she said, jumping away from the seat and helping Fox into it. "Take it easy..."
"Ma?" One of the little boys who'd been playing on the stage ran over, his piercing blue eyes full of concern under his unruly mop of red curls.
"Get yer old man," gasped Fox, squeezing her eyes shut with a growl.
"Okay!" He turned and raced for the kitchen, weaving around Tink and a clear girl with a curling tail as they stood talking in the middle of the path.
"You need something?" asked Mara worriedly. "A drink? Doctor?"
"'Scuse me," said a man's voice from behind her as a hand gently pushed her aside, then a lean, good-looking guy with brown hair and the same eyes as the little boy's set a red-haired baby girl on the table and went to one knee to lay his face against Fox's belly and croon lovingly. The red-haired woman sighed in relief, then looked down at him with shining eyes and ran her fingers through his hair as the baby girl growled jealously.
Mara watched in surprise, then realized that she didn't see Goldie and that the amber-haired baby hadn't been in Creed's arms when he'd followed Jubal to the bathroom.
"Stitch?" she said, looking up. "Where's the little one?"
"On the stage with the other little kids," said the younger teen absently, her eyes fixed on the tableau before her.
Mara frowned and looked up there to see that three other children had joined the little boy who'd been there first, and that the biggest one, a girl with four insectoid legs and a smooth golden exoskeleton, was lugging an indifferent Goldie around as they all laughed and chased what looked like a wind-blown piece of paper.
"Oh, she's ok?" She checked on Fox and her husband, then turned back to Stitch. "I don't feel queasy. I did this morning, and now I don't."
Logan's daughter shrugged. "I dunno. Yer gonna haveta ask him." Then she sniffed and looked over her shoulder. "You want this fish?"
Mara's stomach rumbled painfully at the thought of fresh salmon, and despite herself her eyes took on a slightly greedy gleam. "Yeah...I do."
"You better," said Fox's husband, looking up at her with those husky dog eyes and a sight grin. "Was hard findin' one yer boyfriend liked, 'n then I hadda do it just like he said, or else."
Mara stared at him for a moment, then shook herself slightly. "Yeah." She reached back and took the plate as Stitch handed it to her, then moved over to the other side of the booth and looked down at the deep red fillets sitting on a bed of crushed ice. Her eyes lit up as she picked up a piece and ate it greedily. If Jubal was taking away her sickness somehow she'd enjoy it while it lasted before she berated him later. "This is great," she said, arching an eyebrow at Stitch as she grabbed another piece and bit into it.
Stitch looked back, chewing on something absently as she turned her eyes back toward the bathrooms.
Fox gave another sigh, then looked up contentedly. "This is Wolf, that's Matt, and the kid on the table's Logan. I was carrying her when we first met the old lady." She gave her husband a gentle push. "You'd better get back."
"Yeah," he said reluctantly, then ducked his head and looked up at her through his forelock, growling softly in his chest.
Fox pinked and grinned even as she smacked him upside the head and snarled. "Get lost!"
He laughed and snagged little Logan, then paused and sniffed. "That ain't you."
"What ain't me?" Fox sniffed too. "All I smell's the air freshener from the toi...let!" Her eyes went wide. "What the $#+&?"
"What?" said Mara, head snapping up as she dropped her fish. "What is it?"
"Who's that big guy?" asked Fox slowly, her eyes going spooked. "The one that went with your guy to the john."
Mara felt Stitch climb over the back of the booth to crouch on the seat next to her, but kept her eyes on Wolf's questioning gaze.
"That? That was Creed." She frowned. "Why? What's wrong?"
"Because he smells like me," said Fox softly, still looking frightened as her husband gently shoved her over and sat next to her.
"Smells like... You don't mean..." Mara stared, jaw dropping slightly before she closed it and took a deep breath, then glanced at Stitch. "Is she...?"
"Smells like it," said the fifteen-year-old calmly, snagging a piece of fish and sticking it in her mouth.
"Who is he?" asked Fox softly, resting her head on her hand as Wolf and her little girl and boy nuzzled close.
"He... He's a good guy," said Mara, her eyes dropping to her plate. She considered telling Fox that he'd been the one to make her cry, but decided that it would be mean. "He... He protects the kids. I guess he's just a big daddy who has one #&+$ of a reputation on the streets."
"Reputation?" asked Wolf. "What's his handle?"
Mara hesitated and glanced at Stitch, who scowled at her Loganishly. "He's Sabertooth."
"That's Sabertooth?" Wolf blinked. "What happened to him?"
"God." Stitch snickered and stole another piece of fish.
"+$#& off!" Jubal gently pushed Mara over on the slick seat and slid into the booth beside her, then put an arm around her shoulders and leaned back sullenly to glower at Creed.
The ex-con frowned down at him with an unhappy rumble, but then blinked and looked at Fox. "#$+&."
"You ok?" Mara looked at her fiancé worriedly and sighed as he shrugged, then turned back to the others as Stitch gleefully informed everyone of what they'd just found out about Fox.
"Yer Sabie's kid?" Jubal perked up and looked at the redhead with interest, then frowned. "How old're you?"
"Twenty one," said Fox absently, studying Creed as he closed his eyes and turned away with hunched shoulders.
Jubal blinked, but then swore and watched as the big man walked slowly toward the stage.
"That's Sabertooth?" Wolf repeated.
"Used to be," said Mara softly, watching him as well.
Fox made a soft sound and pushed at her husband, an odd, unfocused look in her eyes.
Wolf glanced at her, then gathered the children into his arms and let her out of the booth, rocking them absently as he watched her go after Creed.
Stitch sighed and climbed back over the back of the booth, then returned with three plates of rare steak.
Mara glanced at the girl, then took Jubal's hand. "Will they be ok?"
He shrugged, still watching as Fox caught up with Creed and put a hand on his arm, then put her arms around his waist as his shoulders shook slightly.
"Sure they will," said Wolf absently, setting his little ones down to run after their mother. "She's tough. This ain't gonna hurt 'er."
"Well he's not exactly leaping for joy either," Mara said dryly as she watched the youngest kids from the stage run over to the big man and attached themselves to his legs. The older girl carried Goldie over as the baby reached for him, chirping, "Dittydittydada!"
"How'd you feel if you realized your kid got dumped on the street and knew that once upon a time you wouldn'a gave a $#+&?" asked Jubal gruffly without taking his eyes from the scene.
"Yay, that's right, Sabie! Hug 'em!" cheered Stitch softly, bouncing on the seat as she leaned her elbows on the back of it. "Sweet!"
Jubal frowned and quirked an eyebrow, then shook his head and returned to his indifferent slouch.
Mara looked at him and frowned, reaching her fingers towards his before she pulled them back and absently put another piece of fish in her mouth.
"Hey, Wolf! You cookin' or what?" bellowed a big grey guy in a waiter's apron from over by the kitchen door.
Wolf started and snarled, his face creasing up in a horrendous scowl. "Yeah, yeah, Tank, shut up!"
"Hey, I know lotsa people that'd love this job, overlander." The big guy's yellow eyes narrowed.
"I know some that'd like you with ketchup 'n french fries, too," retorted Wolf, then turned apologetically to Mara and her family. "Sorry, guys. Gotta go."
"Don't start anything," the aquatic heard the clear waitress beg as he stalked toward the kitchen.
"Tank's an idiot," said Stitch happily. "Hey, Mara, this is good fish."
Jubal looked up with a scowl. "Eat yer steak 'n leave Mara's alone."
Stitch razzed him cheerfully and did so.
"You did do it, didn't you?" Mara scowled at him slightly and crossed her arms. "Why'd you take it, punk boy? I'm the only one who's supposed t' get sick right now."
Jubal gave her a bewildered look.
"I was sick this morning," she spelled it out slowly, scowl deepening. "You took away the feeling, and made yourself sick instead. Why?"
He blinked and looked down at the table, the usual stoney look in his eyes replaced by a flash of the boy she'd seen in the pit the night of the concert. "No idea what yer talkin' 'bout, darlin'."
"I'm not stupid," she said plainly, touching his hand without a second though. "I'm a mess, but I'm not stupid."
He flinched and sucked in a deep breath, then glanced at her pleadingly. "Just drop it, chica."
"Alright." She sighed, dropping his hand and looking down at her own as she folded them in her lap. "But please don't do it again. It's not that bad for me."
He reached out and gently recaptured her hand. "I said I'd help you."
Mara looked up at him with wide eyes, seeing that serious look on his face again. "Not by hurting yourself. I don't need help with that...this is stuff I can deal with," she said, shaking her head.
"I ain't hurtin' myself," he said softly, his eyes going to his plate.
"He never eats anyway," said Stitch, happily shoving aside her empty one and starting on Creed's.
"Whatever." Jubal reluctantly let go of Mara and picked up his fork and knife.
She watched him for a moment, then slowly nodded, remembering how thin he'd been when Hank had uncovered his chest in the medlab.
"Thank you though," she muttered, going back to her own meal.
They ate in a silence broken only by a huge belch and an absent apology from Stitch.
Then Jubal pushed away his half-filled plate and ran a hand over his hair as he flagged Tink down. "Gimme another Bull. You guys want anythin' else?" He turned to look at Mara, who was mildly contesting the right to the last bit of rare beef on Creed's plate with Stitch.
"Oh, um, just another water for me," she said, looking up with a slight grin, which vanished as the beef made a disappearing act of its own with the help of Stitch. "Huh. Thanks a lot." She rolled her eyes at the grinning girl.
Jubal pushed his plate in front of her and leaned forward to look at his honorary sister. "Knock it off, yer gonna puke."
She stuck her tongue out at him and reached for the food in front of Mara. "Gimme milk."
Jubal turned back to Tink. "Ya got that?"
The tiny blond nodded, then winced and shivered as her filmy skirt suddenly swirled around her legs. Mara caught the scent of the sea.
Her eyes widened as she breathed in the sweet taste, then looked around for the source, suddenly feeling homesick for her dolphin family.
"Hey, Mistral," said Stitch as Tink flew away. "Y' gonna sit 'n visit?"
There was a far-off sound of seagulls crying as the cool breeze swirled around them and gently pulled at their hair and clothing, then a murmur as it began to swirl in a miniature whirlwind at the end of the table. As they watched the funnel became tinged with a misty blue-grey and tightened till a tiny human form stood there. At first glance Mara thought it was a child, but then she saw the ages reflected in those enormous sea grey eyes and changed her mind. Small and frail in appearance though it may be, this was no child.
The girl cocked her head, misty hair swirling in the slight breeze that surrounded her, then climbed up on the empty side of the booth and leaned her elbows companionably on the table.
"You were on the bar before," said Mara, staring at her. "You come from the ocean?"
Mistral looked up at her sadly and shrugged one thin shoulder.
"She don't know," said Stitch. "She's ben here since before this place was Hell."
"Oh." Mara blinked and felt slightly sorry for the girl. Then she looked at Stitch. "She a mute?"
"She talks when she's wind." The younger teen offered the tiny sprite a piece of potato and smiled as Mistral climbed up on the table to get it. "'R makes noise, anyhow."
Mistral munched the treat, looking at Mara thoughtfully with those huge eyes, then suddenly swirled away in a gust of salt breeze and far-away laughter.
Jubal snorted and shook his head, then quirked an eyebrow at Fox as she walked over and carefully slid into the place that the wind-girl had vacated.
"You ok?" asked Mara, frowning slightly as she looked over at her new friend.
"Little stunned." Fox rubbed her belly and leaned out a bit to look toward the stage. "Never had family before I married Wolf. Just the Army. They're good, but they're just other kids."
"Meep!" Stitch ducked as Mistral swooped low overhead, laughing gaily.
Mara's skin rose into goosebumps as she nodded to Fox. She'd never gone long without a family herself, even if it wasn't her own species, but she understood the feeling of being alone, then found all of a sudden. "So you ain't mad at him?"
"Mad for what?" The older girl cocked her head and paused her reach toward Jubal's plate.
Mara pushed it towards her and shrugged. "I dunno. I guess some people just get mad when their parents were never around."
Fox shrugged back. "Never even knew kids were supposed ta have parents till I hit teenage. By then I was busy tryin' t' convince Wolf ta be one." She glanced up as Mistral made another pass. "She's feelin' good."
Mara glanced over the back of the booth and saw Creed laying on the stage with the children tumbling and jumping all over him, then frowned and sat back in her seat, biting her lip and imagining what growing up without parents would have been like. Easier in the long-run, maybe. With her parents, anyway.
Tink landed lightly by the end of the table and set the drinks down, pushing a large cup of something brown and fragrant toward Fox before she shot straight up in the air to avoid a rush by Mistral.
The sea breeze chortled and started whistling Dixie, then swirled back into human form on the seat next to Fox and pointed questioningly toward the potato on her plate.
Fox nodded and sipped her drink, her own eyes going toward the stage. "I wanna keep 'im now, though. What's hurtin' him?"
"He let people in and then lost 'em," said Mara, not daring to look at Jubal.
"Lost 'em?" asked Fox, looking at her quizzically as Stitch made a grab for Jubal's Red Bull and got growled at.
"They died," Mara said stiffly.
"You don't know that!" protested Stitch sharply as Jubal suddenly stood and headed toward the bathrooms.
Mara stared straight ahead of her towards the far wall as her face took on almost a sneer. She neither moved to try and comfort the girl, nor to follow Jubal. "Not all of 'em, but he wasn't too happy about Logan, was he? It doesn't matter anyway, they're not here and it's hurting him. That's all there is to it."
From the corner of her eye she saw Fox freeze and look at her with wide eyes.
"Logan's dead?" came the soft, disbelieving whisper.
"Yeah," said Mara, her voice husky before she coughed and glowered at the wall. "Don't ask me how. I was in the ocean still."
Fox glanced over her shoulders toward the bathrooms, then closed her eyes and leaned her forehead on her fist. "Oh man... Who were the other ones?"
"I don't know. Sturmjäger, that Juggernaut guy. I don't know who else," said Mara, memory of her glimpses of them flashing behind her aqua-blue eyes.
"Sturmjäger?" Suspicion flashed behind Fox's.
"Brownie," said Stitch softly. "She's engaged ta Sabie."
"She..." Fox looked toward her father again, then smirked. "Sounds like the kinda ma I could live with..." Then she sobered again. "Sheesh."
Mara didn't respond, instead allowing herself to look after Jubal and suddenly worrying about him as she pulled her legs up to her chest, resting her chin on one as she tried to convince herself not to go check on him. Then she started and bruised her shins on the edge of the table as a garishly-dressed figure dropped from the ceiling and turned two wide white eye-patches toward her.
"We think you need to visit the little boy's room," it said in a strange, deep voice.
"Slime?" Stitch crawled forward onto the table in concern. "What's wrong? Is it Jubes?"
The creature seemed to look at her, then turned back to Mara. "We think you should hurry. Little Wolvie should stay here."
Mara didn't question it, instead jumping to her feet and walking briskly towards the bathrooms, knocking once before she entered and called Jubal's name. Her heart gave a thud in her chest as she saw him on the counter, head bowed onto his drawn up knees. "Jubes?" she said again, approaching hesitantly. He gave no sign that he'd heard her and she frowned and gently slid up to sit beside him. "Jubes?"
His shoulders tensed, but didn't block her out.
Mara shivered to herself, then reached out a shaking hand and gently rubbed his back. "Jubal? Please say something, I need t' know you're still here."
The fingers of the hand that she could see twitched slightly, but he gave no other response.
"Jubal," she whispered, afraid now as she moved closer. "Jubal, don't leave me here, please! Don't shut everything out. It just postpones the pain for when you can't. C'mon..." She winced as his hand moved and caught hers in a painful grip, as though he were clinging to a lifeline.
"It's ok," she said, squeezing back as well as she could. "Jubal, it's gonna be...tolerable. If you let it." She leaned against him, her arm going around his shoulders as she lay her head on his back and sighed, breathing in the scent of his cologne. Then her eyes flew open as she suddenly found herself drowning in despair with no escape, hounded on all sides by things that reminded her of her pain, and so weary and sick of fighting that just the thought of lifting her head to look at one that she was coming to love was beyond her. She started to shake, realizing dimly that this was how Jubal felt.
She hugged him to her, remembering how she'd felt all those years ago as she started to shrink into a shallow depression of her own. Then she rebounded instinctively and pushed away the hope for death, her grip tightening around him slightly.
"I know," she said, keeping herself from letting out a sob with what will-power she had left. "I know, I know it's bad."
She saw Creed in her mind, weeping as Jubal couldn't weep, then standing in this very bathroom and sternly telling the dark-haired teen that he'd better start taking care of himself or he wouldn't be there to care for Mara and the baby, and gasped at the rush of guilt and the flutter of iron resolve that came with the image. She felt his determination to care for her and his love for their unborn child, and saw it balance with his terror at the thought of being responsible for someone.
Then she felt a wash of shame and embarrassment at showing her all this and felt the mental link close off with a nearly audible snap, leaving her alone in her mind once more.
"Don't," she said, jaw dropping at the onrush of information. "Don't be ashamed...you don't think I haven't hated the way I've acted, do ya? Do you know how much I let show to you n' other people that I wish I hadn't? I hugged Creed, dangit! But it all felt better than keeping it inside, except maybe the hug..."
He squeezed her hand, then lifted his head and stared blankly at the row of stalls for a moment before slipping down from the counter and gently pulling her along with him. "We better git Stitch back t' class."
Mara frowned at him, but said nothing as he lead her back out to the main room, so numb from his sharing that she barely noticed that Creed was still nearly lost beneath a pile of youngsters, or that Stitch had pinned Tank down and was twisting his arm with a rather frightening expression on her face.
She blinked as Jubal stopped and put his arms around her.
"I'm sorry, darlin'. I shouldn'a done that," he murmured over the sound of Tank's grunts of pain.
"No, you should've done it a long time ago," Mara muttered back, ducking her head slightly. "Don't stop. Now can you stop Stitch from ripping waiter boy's arms off?"
He put his hands on her shoulders and studied her face for a moment, eyes grave behind his forelock, then nodded and turned away, smirk back in place.
Mara watched him go, then turned and walked over to Fox, who looked half asleep. "You alright, girl?"
"Hmm?" The redhead looked up dozily. "Just beat. Baby don't let me sleep anymore. How's your guy?"
"Ok," mumbled Mara, sinking into the booth across from her and then looking at her stomach wearily. "Why don't you go home then, if you're tired?"
"Wolf wants me where he can see me," said Fox, leaning back with a soft groan. "'N it's easier ta take care'a the kids here."
"Oh," said Mara. "Is it...is it really hard? Being pregnant and having a kid and all that?"
"Nah." Fox rested her head against the back of the booth and shook it with a grin. "Only hard part's arguin' with the girls before they come out."
"Oh," Mara said again, folding her arms over her stomach insecurely. "What about babies?"
"What about 'em?" asked Fox, watching Slime crawl around above them.
"Is it...is it hard?" Mara tried to shrug indifferently.
"Takin' care'a 'em? Only if they're sick, 'er you ain't the person they wanna be with." Fox sniffed, then gave her a piercing look.
"What?" Mara shrank back slightly and automatically scowling at her. "It was only a question."
Fox nodded, her eyes taking on a glint of humor before she turned and started watching something invisible walk past.
Mara frowned and then realized the woman was just distractible, as she herself often was when she was tired.
"Why don't you ask someone to watch the kids out here while Wolf works and you go sleep?" she said. "I mean, sure he wants to watch you, but shouldn't you sleep when you can?"
"Who'd watch 'em?" Fox turned her gaze toward the stage watchfully, as though worried that someone would steal one of the children who squealed so joyfully as they pummeled Creed.
"I dunno," said Mara. "Someone at the mansion, maybe. If you asked."
Fox snorted. "X-Men got better things t' do than watch little street rats."
"Who you callin' street rats?" Jubal frowned at her as he gently shoved Mara over and sat next to her.
"Her kids," said Mara, drawing closer to him impulsively. "Is there anyone at the mansion who'd be able to watch them for a little bit while she sleeps? She's beat."
His eyes glinted as though contesting the term, but all he did was shrug. "What's wrong with how the old man's doin'?"
"He's working," Mara said pointedly.
Jubal quirked an eyebrow and gestured toward the stage with his thumb, and she realized who he meant.
Fox turned her cat look to him and studied him, totally unfazed as he returned the regard coldly.
Mara sighed, then ignored their silent interaction. "Well, there's one option. I know public opinion about ex-cons watching kids, but Creed sort of defies everything that should be true. I bet he'd do it."
Fox and Jubal both winced and ducked as a deep roar came from the stage, followed by childish squeals of delight and a startled call from somewhere further down the row of booths.
Mara cringed, then shrugged helplessly. "See? He likes them alright."
"What's going on?" asked Gator's groggy voice as he came through the door behind the bar, his baby son cradled on one brawny arm.
Mara blinked, then stared at the little dark-haired human baby who no way resembled his scaly parents.
Gator bent his head to listen to the clear girl's explanation, then nodded and looked around, testing the air with his tongue. He tensed slightly as Creed roared again, but then turned toward Mara and Jubal. "Hey, guys! Good to see you up 'n around."
"Hi, Gator," returned Mara, looking down at the table and wishing Fox or Jubal would blink, or at least stop looking ready to pounce on each other. "How's the kid?"
The big Morlock walked around the bar and came over to the table, where he hunkered down to be at her level. "He's okay. Just woke up when that roar went off. How're you doin'?"
Mara stared at the child as he stared brightly back and licked his father's arm, then remembered her criticism of Jubal and Fox and stopped at once. "I'm ok," she said, shrugging one shoulder and looking back at the table, avoiding Gator's eyes too. "You?"
"Pretty good," he said absently, looking at Fox. "Hey, Fox. You're beat. Why don't you put the kids in the nursery 'n catch some Zs?"
"Nursery?" She blinked and turned to give him a blank look.
"Yeah. We've got a place for kids to stay while their parent's're busy. You can just crash in the booth if you want." Gator rubbed Joey's back as the baby gave a little chuckle.
Fox's eyes widened slightly. "I didn't know about it. Is there somebody to watch 'em?"
"Yeah, Neko Lynn's up there today." Gator looked toward the stage as Creed gave a yelp of surprise. "I think Frankie needs a nap anyhow."
Fox leaned out to look, then groaned. "That kid and his biting."
"See? Told you there was a way," said Mara somewhat smugly.
Fox gave her a warm smile, then carefully slid out of the booth and waddled slowly toward the stage.
"Jubes?" Mara turned and nudged him slightly as he stared up at Slime, still not having said so much as 'hello' to their host.
"Eh?" He blinked and frowned at her.
"Gator man's here, with kid. Gonna say hi?" she asked, arching an eyebrow.
His frown deepened slightly, but then he shrugged and looked at his friend indifferently. "Hey. How's life?"
Gator's shoulders slumped slightly and his golden eyes darkened. "It's cool. You gonna come to the concert tonight? It's Sewer Things."
Jubal shook his head. "Proly not. Got other stuff t' do."
Gator looked away, then back. "Alright, man. I'll see you whenever, then." He glanced down at his son, then reached over and gave Mara's hand a quick pat before getting to his feet and walking back to the door behind the bar.
"What other stuff? Anything important?" asked Mara, frowning at Jubal slightly.
His shoulders bowed with exhaustion and he lay his head on the table as Creed came over and looked down at them, Goldie leaning back comfortably in the crook of one arm.
"We better be gettin' back," said the big mutant gruffly. "Stitch's got school. Jubes?"
Mara's face softened as she gently put an arm around her fiancé.
"You're right, you should go home n' get some sleep," she said in a hushed voice.
He tensed at the mention of sleep, but then groaned faintly and nodded without lifting his head.
Mara looked up at Creed and saw what looked like fear in his eyes as he sniffed and looked down at her fiancé.
Then he growled in his chest and stepped back. "Come on, kid. Let's get goin'."
Jubal lifted his head and blinked, then scowled and scrubbed his face before getting up and gently pulling Mara up after him. "You wanna drive?"
Creed frowned at him, the concern now open in his face, then bellowed for Stitch.
"She's already in the truck," said Jubal. "Sent 'er out there t' cool down after she tried breakin' Tank's arm."
Creed shook his head with another growl, then turned and led the way outside.
"Jubal, you feeling ok?" asked Mara in a low voice, looking at him worriedly as they walked behind the older man. "You're not taking away the sick feelings again, are you?"
He looked at her blankly, then closed his eyes for a moment and shook his head as though to clear it, staggering slightly as he did so and bumping into her.
"Whoa," she gasped, catching him with both arms. "Jubal, what's wrong?"
"Here." Creed turned and pulled her away, then thrust Goldie into her grasp and put his arm around Jubal as the dark-haired teen sagged. "He's beat."
Mara bit her lip, cringing inwardly as the tiny girl in the pink fuzzy coat wrapped warm arms around her neck and snuggled under her chin. But her worry for Jubal outweighed her dislike of handling children and she hurried after Creed as he supported him to the truck.
The big man was all but carrying his young friend by the time they reached the door that Stitch had thrown open. Jubal's head was bowed, and his face kept alternating between fierce concentration, angry embarrassment, and total blankness.
"Here." Creed gently stuffed him into the back seat. "He ain't gonna be able t' sit. Lay 'em on the floor 'n wrap 'im in some'a Logan's old blankets."
"You better drive careful," growled Stitch as she obeyed.
Creed growled back, a deep warning sound that made Jubal gasp a curse and sent a chill down Mara's back even though she knew that the older man was only responding from his own worry.
"Dangit," he said gruffly. "Easy, kid. It's just me, Sabie."
Mara saw Jubal look up at him disorientedly, then lay back in the cocoon of worn afghans and close his eyes.
"Okay," said Creed. "Stitch, yer in the front. Mara, don't kick the kid on yer way in. Here, gimme Goldie."
Mara tried, but the baby tightened the grip around her neck and gave a protesting whine. She tried to pry the girl off, but the infant's grip held impossibly strong, and when she turned her head and leaned back slightly she saw two sad amber eyes staring back at her.
"She won't let go." The water girl blinked back her own tears and looked to Creed for help.
"I see that," he said softly, his voice coming out rough. "Think y' remind 'er 'a 'er mama." He shook his head and rubbed his eyes with a knuckle, then reached into the truck and came back with the stuffed lion. "Hey, baby. Want yer kitty?"
Goldie lay her head against Mara's shoulder again, making a little sad sound as her arms wrapped more firmly around the aqua teen's neck.
Mara shuddered, then shook her head at Creed.
"I can hold her," she said, getting into the truck and noiselessly climbing into the back, holding Goldie with one arm and flipping one jumpseat up so she could settle next to Jubal in the narrow space. She took his hand with her free one and squeezed it slightly, then watched him to make sure he was breathing alright and looked more or less comfortable. She frowned as Creed carefully tucked them in, then started as Goldie sighed and cuddled between them, murmuring softly in what sounded like broken German. Jubal sighed too and turned his face toward her warmth, but didn't wake.
Mara blinked back her emotions, sighing as she shut off the part of her that felt too much, then closed her eyes as the scent of her first real friend tickled her senses, the old cigar smoke that was laced into the fibers of everything in the truck. Lulled by combined warmth of Jubal and Goldie, and with the old blankets pulled up around all three of them, she soon found herself slipping into a sweet, dreamless sleep.